projects at the studio this week

Well, Trish is thinking about teaching silk screening classes at the studio this spring!
She has started putting together an instruction manual outlining how to build a frame, stretch the screen and all that follows. The classes will be smaller, like 5 people per class. Then you will be able to make your own silk screens to print everything in your home, like t-shirts, walls and kitchen cupboards, your boyfriend...
We have lots of other projects going on this week as well. Beth is working on designing a new long comfy dress, Steph is designing a skirt and top, Nicole is making bags, and an elegant new dress...
Now if some one could just come up with some new pants for all of you pant fans we would be set!
Oh ya, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY ZOE AND TARA!

Yes, it's happening...

For those of you dying with anticipation over whether our annual Garage Sale will be happening at the studio this year.... YES IT'S HAPPENING!!

When you might ask? This month? This weekend? Check our blog daily as the date gets closer to find out... we will be announcing the date just days before on our blog. And for those of you who haven't experienced the Garage Sale madness, check out this video from a previous year.

The John Wayne Shirt

So, we have created an amazing new cowboy shirt! Inspired by the classic, rugged cowboy Mr. John Wayne, we decided to turn around an old cowboy shirt (literally) and create a new style for Spring. By designing the shirt backwards (buttons up the back) shortening the sleeves and adding a silk screened neckline, the John Wayne was born. Unfortunately this shirt will not be available on our website (because each one is one-of-a-kind!!) however, you can give us a ring at the studio if you really, really, really want one...

Spring Photo Shoot at the Regional Assembly of Text

It's time to get excited for Spring! With new designs coming out of the Studio and into our Victoria and Vancouver stores, Glenda, our resident Lily photographer (and Vancouver manager) went over to the Regional Assembly of Text with Margaret to take some pictures. Just down the street from our Vancouver store, the Regional Assembly of Text is an amazing vintage stationary shop founded by Brandy Fedoruk and Rebecca Ann Dolen. Check out the beginning of Spring 2009...

cotton v-neck tank

porticciolo dress apron skirt chevron aline skirt

Velo Vogue Fashion Show

Living in a West Coast city like Victoria, full of bike fanatics and nicely paved ocean side roads, cycling is important to the people in our city and to the ladies of Lily. Smoking Lily has always taken biking into consideration, well, because we all ride bikes!! From our famous velvet bike bag to our recent rain cape, we like to design clothes that make sense for our lifestyle. For those of you who don't live in a city where biking to work is the norm, give it a try, we promise you it will make your day and the place that you live so much more enjoyable!! And, for those of you who live in our Nation's capital, check out the Velo Vogue Fashion Show in Ottawa this Saturday and get a glimpse of what's new for Spring at Smoking Lily!


*to learn more about Smoking Lily in the Velo Vogue Fashion Show, read this article in Ottawa Citizen

1 in a 1000

Over the Christmas holidays Trish and Rachael took off to Mexico for a week of sunshine and made this adorable video of all these little turtles trying to swim into the ocean...apparently only 1 in 1000 make it...

Lily Sale!!

Feliz Ano Nuevo!

Happy New Year everyone! We studio girls are back at it, organizing things and gearing up for an awesome 2009. Today as you heard is inventory day, and although it is fun to unravel meters and meters of fabric, it is nearing the end and I think we are all relieved to have it done.

Trish and Rachael are home from a Christmas in Mexico (hence our Spanish attempt at happy new year!) and are looking refreshed and quite a bit more tanned than the rest of us- who had more snow than sand! We have a very cute video they took of baby sea turtles making their way down the beach towards the ocean for you to watch...unfortunately we will have to post it at a later date...these things are hard to get on blogs sometimes...

New spring clothing is on it's way very soon! We are getting started on beautiful new items such as the Porticiollo dress, the beige Porthole skirt and the Delft apron (which has a windmill on it!) There will be many great new designs over the course of the year, and we can looking forward to seeing what they will look like!

Have you got any new year's resolutions? We've decided ours is to keep the staff fridge mold free! It seems like a good thing to strive towards...oh yes, and to hook this blog up directly to our website!..Baby steps...

We also resolved to sell our extra industrial button putter-onner machine that we hadn't had time to post for sale yet. Interested? Give us a shout!

May the New Year bring you peace, joy and happiness!